Dialogue: Follow No One, Trust Yourself

[Characters: Thomas, Jesse, Mark] In a small town of Athens, Thomas and his disciples served the town well, with their Wisdom and Knowledge, by helping out the less fortunate, feeding the homeless, teachings, and gaining more followers as they go. Thomas was known as a wise man in his community. He taught his disciples to never become a believer but become an inquirer instead. So, one day Thomas tells his disciples, to stop following him. They were confused to why would he say that? Thomas replied to them and said, I now go alone my disciples! You too go now! Thus I want it, I advise you: depart from me, and guard yourselves against Thomas! And better still! Be ashamed of him. Perhaps he has deceived you. As Thomas expressed himself to his disciples, they departed from Thomas, and was never heard of again. Jesse, a student who has been searching for enlightenment throughout the years. He had traveled all around the world, seeking truth. He even adapted to different culture norms and took on their beliefs. After years of searching, Jesse found his quest to be fruitless. As he came to his conclusion, he gave up and decided to go work on a farm. The farmer he was employed with was a very simple man that went by the name, Mark. Mark wasn't too much of a talker but when he did, he enjoyed a good philosophical debate with Jesse. At first Jesse was up for the debate, doubting much of what Mark had said, thinking that Mark was similar to others, from his past he had met. After some time, Jesse sensed an immense wisdom and tranquility inside Mark. So, Jesse started agreeing to much with Mark. Weeks passed by and suddenly, Jesse desire for enlightenment had returned. Jesse worked on the farm for a few months just absorbing Mark knowledge and wisdom. So one day Mark noticed that Jesse stopped debating with him. Now the conversation goes like this: Mark: I think its time for you to leave. Jesse: Leave why? Mark: Listen, when you first arrived here, we had many things to teach one another. We grew together and learned from each other. Your mind was inquisitive. But recently, you've begun to believe everything I say. You've gone from an inquirer to a believer and I want let you do that to yourself or to me. We're both better off if you leave. Jesse: But I came seeking for the truth and I found it in you. Mark: The truth! You're lost Jesse. Jesse: Why would you send me away like this? How could you do this to me? Mark: Let me show you something. Here, take a look at this map. What do you see? Jesse: I see our farm, the river nearby and the mountains. Mark: No,you see an image of our farm, the river nearby and the mountains. Not the things themselves. Now tell me, what can you learn from this map? Jesse: I can learn where the farm and river are, the height of the mountain, where the berry trees are, where we plant our carrots... Mark: No you can't. Give it a few millennia. The river will dry up and the mountains will move, and this farm may be a city. You can't learn anything about the farm as it is. You can only see an image of it as it was at some point in time. See a man's memory is like this map. It can capture a shadow of reality, and he can share that with you but he can never give you the reality itself. A man can give you his memories of the truth but he can't never give you the truth itself. He can tell you where the farm was but you'd still have to verify it for yourself. If you want the truth as you say, there could be no intermediaries, no middle man. If there is a middle man, then he is the one you follow after not the truth. Jesse: But what's wrong with me following you? Mark: If you follow me, you'll live according to my memories. You'll live according to my map, and you're never learn how to construct your own. Jesse: What if my map is wrong? Mike: Then you'll be lost with me and you want be able to correct me because you never learned how to navigate on your own. And if you can't correct me, then we're no longer able to help each other. But if you learn to see for yourself, if you learn to construct your own map of reality, then we can come together as friends and individuals. We can compare our maps and help one another see reality as it really is. And when we both see reality as it is, we can journey through it together, as equals. Jesse: ??, I guess you're right, I'll start packing my belongings. Conclusion, this was the logic reasoning, behind Thomas decision, when he expressed to his disciples to leave him, because he knew they were still believers. He wanted them to become inquirers. Thomas didn't want disciples. He didn't want them to believe what he said. He wanted them to doubt him, inquire, and verify, what he said for themselves to see if they arrive at the same vision of reality.